The security concerns of a JavaScript sandbox with the Node.js VM module

Node.js’s built-in `vm` module can compile and execute dynamically supplied JavaScript in isolated V8 contexts, which may initially appear suitable for products that let users run custom code, such as cloud IDEs or coding-practice platforms. Although context boundaries can prevent direct access to variables not explicitly provided, they do not make the module a secure sandbox for untrusted input. Malicious code can create denial-of-service conditions through infinite loops and may escape the intended context to achieve remote code execution, including reading environment variables, accessing the file system, or spawning processes. Such compromise can expose credentials and cloud or database secrets, potentially enabling broader network attacks. Node.js documentation explicitly states that `node:vm` is not a security mechanism and should not be relied upon to execute untrusted code.

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